Summary

• Goosebumps episodes were created to introduce kids to the horror genre, and some of the scariest episodes push the limits of a scary story before moving on to more mature horror TV.
• The scariest episodes feature jump scares, freaky atmospheres, and memorable characters, making them truly unnerving and memorable for an entire generation of fans.
• The episodes often have twists and unexpected endings, creating eerie and terrifying moments that stick with viewers, making everyday things like scarecrows, masks, and even trick-or-treating much scarier than before.

The scariest Goosebumps episodes are a strong mix of legitimately terrifying television and some lighter fare meant to help introduce kids to the horror genre. R.L. Stine started writing his Goosebumps novels in 1992 and published 62 books in the series in the next five years. The books were made for young teenagers as a gateway to horror and this eventually turned into a TV series, video games, comic books, and even movies released years later. With 240 total Goosebumps books in circulation, Stine is one of the bestselling children's book authors in the horror sphere. It also helps that the TV show made them even more popular.

Released in 1995 and lasting for four seasons, Goosebumps had a total of 74 episodes, although several were two-parters. The series, which originally aired on Fox Kids, adapted some of Stine's best books and introduced a world of non-readers to characters like Slappy the Dummy and scary locations like Camp Nightmare. It was also a show that had early appearances by some actors who hit it big, including Ryan Gosling, Scott Speedman, and Hayden Christensen. The scariest Goosebumps episodes remain memorable to an entire generation of fans, over three decades later.

17 A Night In Terror Tower

Season 1, Episodes 16-17

"A Night In Terror Tower" is a two-part season one episode that is one of the scariest Goosebumps episodes in the series. In this story, Sue and Eddie are Americans who are on vacation in London. While there, they accidentally get locked in the Terror Tower and then have to face off with historical figures who are out for blood. This is scary thanks to the format of the episode, which throws in a lot of jump scares and a freaky atmosphere. Goosebumps was created to give kids a gateway into horror, and this is a perfect episode to test out the limits of a scary story before moving on to more mature horror TV.

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16 The Ghost Next Door

Season 7, Episodes 3-4

The scariest Goosebumps episode in the fourth and final season was the two-part episode The Ghost Next Door. In this installment, Hannah is a young girl who meets a new neighbor named Danny. However, he is the only person who can seem to hear and talk to her, so Hannah quickly surmises that he must be a ghost. The twist comes a little early when it gets revealed that Hannah is the ghost. This is a scary episode because there is a dark shadow following Hannah, and she realizes she has to protect Danny before something bad happens to him. While a more sentimental Goosebumps episode, the scenes with the shadow are truly scary.

15 Don’t Wake Mummy

Season 2, Episode 22

In "Don't Wake Mummy," a father sends a sarcophagus home to his family which seems like a strange thing. When his son Jeff watches it rise from the dead, and no one believes him, he realizes he has to do something or this mummy could kill him and his entire family. A.J. Cook (Criminal Minds) plays his sister Kim, and she decides she will dress up like a mummy to scare him since she doesn't believe the mummy has come to life. This leads to some very scary moments with the real mummy coming up on both kids and them having to stop it without any help.

14 One Day At Horrorland

Season 3, Episodes 8-9

Of the two-part episode "One Day at Horrorland," the first remains one of the scariest episodes of Goosebumps while the second is mostly a fun action-packed monster movie. There's something purely unsettling about seeing random amusement park rides in the middle of a forest, the show's budget aside. Not to mention there's a decapitated talking head and a scene where the parents literally drink monster blood. The first episode is a masterclass of terror before the second turns into a freaky game show where the family has to survive - and the entire monster world can watch on their own TV network.

13 Scarecrow Walks At Midnight

Season 2, Episode 14

"A Scarecrow Walks at Midnight" made some pretty big changes from the Goosebumps book, and that helped it remain one of the scariest Goosebumps episodes in the series. The story follows Jodie and Mack as they visit their grandparents. This is on a farm, and as with most farms, there is a scarecrow in the field, which always offers a scary experience in horror tales. However, this isn't just one scarecrow that haunts these kids' dreams, but 12 of them. With Jodie and Mack believing something is wrong with their grandparents, they set out to see if the scarecrows are responsible.

12 Attack Of The Jack O Lanterns

Season 2, Episode 10

The part of the story concerning the jack-o-lantern monsters is scary in itself, but what makes this Goosebumps episode worthy of the list is its ending. When a town is struck with a series of disappearances, trick-or-treating isn't exactly the safest activity for kids. Through some rather creative writing, it seems like the pumpkin-headed fiends are behind it all, but not all the trick-or-treaters are as innocent as they appear. Suddenly, things go from silly to sinister in a matter of seconds. The twist at the end created a scary and memorable moment, making trick-or-treating a little more scary than it used to be.

11 Bride Of The Living Dummy

Season 3, Episode 16

Slappy the Dummy is quite possibly R.L. Stine's most insidious creation, and the wicked wooden weirdo makes more than a few appearances in the series. This episode of the spooky series asks, what happens when the demented dummy finds love in the form of a girl's wide-eyed doll? Things can only go downhill from there as Slappy is aided in his soul-collecting quest by a toy that is surprisingly more terrifying than he is. The title alone is going to be hard to beat, and bringing in a second Slappy provided a fun and scary Goosebumps episode.

10 Werewolf Of Fever Swamp

Season 1, Episodes 18-19

"Werewolf of Fever Swamp" follows two young kids, Grady and Emily, as they are forced by their parents to move to the swamps of Florida. Soon after they arrive at their new home, the kids start to hear terrifying howls in the middle of the night and see spooky shadows and creepy characters in the area. Due to the howls, the children begin to suspect that a werewolf is stalking the swamp. The kids are convinced that Grady's dog is the wolf-like monster, but this would be too simple for a scary Goosebumps story. This episode is truly one of the most unnerving in the series and even picked up a 12+ rating in the UK.

9 Night Of The Living Dummy III

Season 2, Episodes 24-25

"Night of the Living Dummy III" marks another appearance in the Goosebumps TV series for the terrifying Slappy the Dummy. The story follows Trina, a young girl whose father used to have his own ventriloquist act. However, after he stopped performing, he stored his old dummies in his attic. One day, when examining the dummies, Trina and her brother find that one of the dummies' hands is unusually warm. After this bizarre discovery, the siblings start hearing creepy noises from the attic. While better than the first Slappy episode, this falls short of the brilliance of the second one, but Slappy always offers the scariest Goosebumps episodes.

8 Welcome To Dead House

Season 2, Episodes 20-21

"Welcome to Dead House" is a two-part story, which often is some of the best Goosebumps episodes. The story follows Josh and Amanda Benson who unwillingly must move away from Dark Falls with their parents. However, their new town and house are extremely strange, with the siblings finding the townsfolk particularly odd. Their parents, however, ignore the protestations of the children, leaving the kids to solve the terrifying mystery surrounding the town on their own. The kids soon realize that the townspeople have ominous plans for anyone who moves into the old house. This was a terrifying Goosebumps book, and the episode lightens things up but remains a scary Goosebumps episode.